


Heartland

by ThePathUntaken



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2014-01-31
Packaged: 2018-01-10 17:26:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1162479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePathUntaken/pseuds/ThePathUntaken
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where only those of high society are allowed to have magic, Kankri Vantas and his sister, Karkat, hid their powers from the world. When Cronus Ampora comes along, the Vantas siblings' lives take a sudden turn. Takes place in Medieval times. Homestuck, Medieval!Stuck.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Alternia was a country in which magical powers were both rare and common. The higher on the social status, the more likely someone was to have a type of magic. It was very rare for a person of noble blood to have no magic. It was even rarer for a peasant to have strong magic.

In the forest, on the outskirts of Caledonia, a very small town near the edge of Alternia was a small log cabin. In that cabin lived a man and his two children.

The man was Sirius Vantas, a preacher for a local church. He was well-known for his mystical powers, and his ability to make many feel at peace. Though, no one in the town he lived in liked him or his family.

He was a preacher for a local church, but local in the next town over.

He couldn’t afford to move his family, though. He was a widower, and didn’t make much money as a preacher. Plus, his youngest child, his daughter, had special needs. She was born two months early and his wife, Cressida, died in the process, leaving him with his newborn daughter, whom he named Karkat, and three-year-old son, Kankri.

He never blamed Karkat for Cressida’s death, no. She was his precious baby girl, innocent and pure, knowing not what happened, though he feared letting her leave the house. He feared that the townsfolk would kill her on sight because of her condition.

A genetic mutation the doctors from the next town called ‘albinism’, which not only caused her to be born early, but caused her to have a very weak body.

Kankri knew of his father’s worries, and often tried to cheer up his baby sister by picking flowers and bringing them inside to play with her. He taught her how to make flower crowns, how to read and write, and even how to differentiate animal sounds. Sirius was proud that his son saw past Karkat’s appearance and loved her.

Both of Sirius’s children were bright. Karkat showed promise in potion making and creating herbal remedies for ailments, and Kankri had a knack for healing. Though, something about those talents made Sirius worry. It was as if those talents were small compared to what they could achieve. He was proven right on the night of Kankri’s fifth birthday.

He was tucking Karkat, then two, into bed when he heard the door open. He looked to see Kankri standing in the threshold with a blank look on his face. Kankri walked over and gripped Sirius’s pant leg tightly.

“Papa,” Kankri whispered mournfully. “I had a bad dream.” Sirius picked up his son and walked to his son’s room. Karkat was asleep, and neither Vantas wanted to disturb her. Sitting on Kankri’s bed, Sirius pulled Kankri into his lap.

“Would you like to tell me about your dream?” He asked. “I can interpret it for you, if you want.”

“What do you mean, father?”

“I mean,” Sirius clarified, “that when someone has a dream, often times those dreams are trying to tell someone something. It can be scary, but tell of good fortune and prosperity.” Kankri looked at his father, fascinated on the subject.

“Well, in my dream, I was in a field of clover,” Kankri said thoughtfully. “In the distance, I saw sparkles. It was like…” Kankri trailed off.

“Like what?” Sirius encouraged. Kankri glanced out his window, a distant expression on his face.

“It was like magic,” Kankri said wistfully. He shook his head and stared his father in the eye. “But that’s when things started getting weird.”

“Weird as in how?”

“Weird as in, things started happening. A wizard appeared, along with a pit full of snakes!”

“Snakes, you say?”

“Yeah, lots of them! But, the wizard was battling someone. It was a magical dual. The other man was another wizard, and he took the first wizard’s powers. Then, the first wizard fell, and the other one said, ‘Think of it this way. At least now you aren’t tainting your blood right from now on.’ Then the snakes wrapped around the first wizard, and started across the clover field towards me! Then I woke up.”

Sirius realized that his son was blessed with magic, a rare trait for someone of non-noble lineage.

“This dream means that in the distant future, you will go on a grand adventure with an important person. The snakes signify an unexpected meeting with someone special.”

“How are they important? Are they a noble or maybe a knight?”

“No, Kankri. Important in here,” Their father pointed to Kankri’s heart. “Just like your mother was with me. But Kankri, I need you to listen to me.”

“Yes, father?” Sirius gripped his son’s shoulders, forcing him to look Sirius in the eye.

“Do not ever tell your dreams to anyone. Not unless you trust them, alright?” Kankri’s eyes went wide.

“Why not, father? Is something wrong?” Sirius pulled his son into a tight hug.

“Not with you, my dear son, but with society. You have been blessed with a type of magic called “seeing”. It means you can see the past, present, and future. People of our social status, peasants, that is, are not allowed to have magical powers. That is why it is so rare to find someone not of noble blood with such powers. It is cruel and unjust, as those who are found to have magic, but are not of nobility, are killed on sight. I don’t want to lose you, and I won’t be around forever to take care of your sister.”

Kankri didn’t understand what his father said, but heard the seriousness in his voice. He agreed to tell no one of his seeing powers.

A few years later, Sirius was killed protecting a child from the knights. The child had used magic to fix his friend’s toy, and a knight had seen him do it. The child was later revealed to be nobility from a neighboring country, and the matter was ruled accidental, the knights in question being punished by getting paid leave.

Standing in front of their father’s grave, Kankri, age ten, and Karkat, age seven, wondered why life was cruel to those who suffered for the sake of others. That day, that moment, they made a silent vow.

“We will be the saviors of the broken, the beaten, and the damned.”

Sirius Vantas

The Sufferer

Loving Father, We Will Not Forget


	2. Chapter 1; Meeting with Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kankri and Cronus meet for the first time.

KANKRI

‘It’s been six years,’ Kankri Vantas thought as he stood in front of his father’s grave, his sister Karkat placing freshly picked flowers in front of it.

Things had gone relatively well in the years since their father was killed, and Kankri’s darling sister put up a tough bravado, though he could still hear her crying at night when she thought he was asleep. She missed him more than she would say.

Kankri tried to keep the promise he made to their father eleven years ago, and told no one of his seeing powers, except for Karkat, and his best friend and seamstress from the next town over, Porrim.

Unfortunately, fate had a different idea.

One day, when he was out in the closer town, his seeing powers activated, and he had literally dropped everything and stated, quite loudly and without control, exactly what he was seeing, leaving out no details. The townspeople, fortunately, just thought he was trying to get attention. Though, after it happened quite a few times, they started to dislike the poor boy and would never sell him anything, saying he was cursed with a lying tongue.

Kankri had taken up selling fruit from the forest in Porrim’s town in order to pay for things they needed. Speaking of that…

“Karkat, we need to get some more…” He paused, hearing her speak. Kankri turned to see her on her knees, her white hair glistening in the sun, and her red eyes glistening with unshed tears. She was talking to their father.

“Hey papa, it’s me again. Guess what? Kanny said that my body has gotten stronger. I can walk all the way to the next town now. But I have to wear a cloak, so people can’t see my hair. It can be pretty hot.” Kankri smiled sadly as she spoke. He put my hand on her shoulder.

“I’m going to collect some fruit to sell in town later,” He said. “You can stay here, if you want.” She nodded. He knew why.

Karkat had gotten a very stubborn rebellious streak, but that was mostly because she hated being coddled like a child. She claimed that she didn’t need to be treated like a child. But it was all an act. She didn’t like anyone seeing her weak side. She especially hated when Kankri her cry. Kankri shook his head of his musings and set the basket he was carrying on the ground, and braced himself to climb the tree for the sweet, juicy fruit. He paused, hearing an odd sound.

It sounded like someone singing. And whoever it was had a beautiful voice…

Either way, the fruit needed to be picked, and he had to climb high to get it. Perhaps the bears were able to get to the ones on the lower branches.

Kankri leaped for the lowest limb, dragging himself onto it to climb to the next branch. He climbed higher and higher, until he got near the top. When he stood, he saw a bird’s nest right in his line of vision. Not wanting to spook the mother bird too much, he began to speak softly;

“Oh, hello mother oriole and little baby orioles. I didn't see your nest there. Don’t worry; I’ll be out of your way in a moment. I didn’t mean to disturb your home; perhaps my sister Karkat and I can make some homes for birds when I get home. That sounds nice.” Unfortunately, once Kankri start musing out loud, it takes a bit for him to stop. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw it. The thing he came for.

He saw a bright pink, crunchy apple. (TPU- As a side note, for those who don’t know, these do exist. They are called Pink Lady apples, or another variation is Cripps Pink apples. They are generally sweeter than red ones, and are extremely crunchy in the fall.)

“Oh, this is wonderful! See that over there, little chicks? That’s why I’m up here. I need those so I can feed my own little chick at home. She can get very cranky if she doesn’t get fed, though she likes to pretend that not eating doesn't bother her and often gives her food to me. I believe that the eastern countries call her personality, ‘tsundere’.” Kankri reached for the apple, but it was only a little bit out of reach. The tips of his fingers brushed against it.

There was a strange creaking noise, a crack, and Kankri was suddenly falling. He saw his life flash before his eyes and he began to question things; who would take care of his sister if he died? Was his life really worth the trouble he went through? Will he see his father again?

What would become of the man from his first vision?

‘I’m scared. I’m scared! I don’t want to die yet! PLEASE, NOT YET!’

He saw the ground coming at him fast, and he closed my eyes before the impact with the warm, soft… Wait a minute… warm and soft?

Kankri opened his eyes to see a pair of beautiful violet eyes staring into his dark red ones. He had landed on a person! Kankri quickly got up, offering his hand to the man, sputtering apologies left and right.

“Are you alright?” That was not Kankri’s voice. Kankri’s voice was not that deep, musical, or sexy… ‘Ignore that last remark, self. You are a man, yourself.’

Kankri looked at the man to see him staring straight at him, with a strange look in his eyes. Only Kankri’s father, Karkat (rarely), or Porrim or her sister Kanaya ever gave me that look.

His eyes were filled with concern and worry about Kankri’s well-being. Kankri took a moment to study him.

He was beautiful, for lack of a better term. His eyes shone like amethyst gems, his thick, dark hair contrasting with his pale, creamy skin. A pair of small scars marred the left side of his forehead. His attire was yellow and purple, which was rather odd because Porrim has always said that the two aforementioned colors should never go together because no one can pull it off. However, this man in front of him could really pull it off.

“Thank you, I think. Was that a compliment?” Realizing he said this out loud, Kankri pulled away from him, trying to cover it up.

“No… Yes… I mean, I should be the one asking if you are alright! I am the one that fell on you; you must be much more hurt than I am! As such, I apologize wholeheartedly.” Kankri then noticed blood on the side of his face, and reached forward timidly.

CRONUS

As a travelling musician or a bard, if you will, one often gets lost when they don’t really know where they’re going. That’s okay, though. They get to see beautiful scenery, and are usually not really in a hurry to get anywhere.

This bard, Cronus Ampora, was different, though. He knew where he was supposed to go, but had no clue as to how to get there, so he decided to wander around until he could find someone to give him directions. With nothing better to do, and in need of a short rest, Cronus sat down and pulled out his large mandolin from a special magic bag he had traded a cobweb potion for. Poor soul didn’t know it was a bag that could store an entire castle and everything in it. Strumming a few notes, he began to play one of his favorite songs.

“Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling,

From glen to glen, and down the mountain side,

The summer’s gone, and all the roses falling,

It’s you, it’s you, must go and I must bide,

But come ye back when summer’s in the meadow,

Or when the valley’s hushed and white with snow,

And I’ll be here in sunshine or in shadow

Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.” (Danny Boy, artist unknown)

Cronus sat there for a few moments longer, listening as the last note faded in an echo in the surrounding forest. Sighing, he stood, strapping his mandolin on his back and walking off into a random direction. It wasn’t long before his stomach began to make its presence known.

“I knew I should have packed more bread,” He said to himself as the hunger pains grew. He noticed a few leaves falling in front of him.

‘That’s odd,’ He thought. ‘It’s still very early summer. Why would a few leaves be falling this early?’ He looked up and saw a person on one of the tallest branches, reaching for something. That in itself wasn’t the problem; the problem was that the branch was breaking!

“Hey! Get down from there! You’re going to fall! Hey! Are ya deaf?! Answer me!” Too late, the branch split clean from the trunk. The person let out a rather girlish ‘Kya!’ before plummeting to the ground. He leapt forward just in time.

Whoever it was was surprisingly light. A mop of dark hair hid their eyes from view. They seemed to be in a daze, possibly from shock. Then, their eyes met. It was like a spark shot through Cronus’s body as he stared into those gorgeous ruby orbs. The young man he was holding seemed to be a bit younger, maybe by a year or two. He was wearing a plain, dark red tunic with a darker red sash on his waist, dark brown pants, and dark red slipper-like shoes. His dark hair stuck up in a few places and had a few twigs and leaves stuck to it. There was a light dusting of freckles across his button nose. This person was beautiful.

It seemed like hours until the boy scrambled from his arms and started sputtering apologies left and right. It was almost impossible for Cronus to get a word in edgewise.

“…I mean, Porrim has always told me that yellow and purple never go together because no one can pull them both off at the same time. Yet, here you are, pulling it off flawlessly!” O…Kay?

“Thank you, I think. Was that a compliment?” To Cronus’s amusement, they boy turned red and sputtered with embarrassment.

“No… Yes… I mean, I should be the one asking if you are alright! I am the one that fell on you; you must be much more hurt than I am! As such, I apologize wholeheartedly.” The boy’s eyes got wide, and he reached toward Cronus’s face.

“You’re bleeding… Oh, darn it all, you’re bleeding!” Cronus reached to the side of his head near his dual scars. Feeling a sort of wetness, he pulled his hand back and examined it. It seemed like tree boy was right; he was bleeding. He must have been scratched by branch fragments. The boy seemed to be in a panic.

“Please, as an apology, let me at least clean and bandage your wound. My house is not far from here. It could get infected if it doesn’t get treated.” Cronus’s stomach chose that time to put its two cents in. Cronus blushed from head to toe as the boy giggled.

“And a meal might be a nice apology, as well,” He said, grabbing Cronus’s hand and pulling him towards the darker part of the forest. “My house is this way. It’s much closer than the village.”

Cronus adjusted his feather cap and allowed himself to be dragged by the boy in red. After about a forty-five minute walk, the pair ended up at a relatively nice log cabin. The boy rapped the front door. When nothing happened, he pushed it open, mumbling under his breath. He wiped his feet on the mat, motioning for Cronus to do the same. He then proceeded to guide Cronus to the kitchen, where three chairs were set up.

“Please, sit down. I’ll get my elixirs and bandages, but first I have to check on my sister. It won’t take long.” Cronus sat, taking in the sight. The boy actually seemed to be relatively poor, but the home he lived in seemed to be in very good condition. Nothing seemed to be falling apart; it had two floors and, presumably, a cellar. None of the windows were cracked, and the garden, which he could see from the window, had a wide variety of flowers, fruits, vegetables, and herbs, both medical and flavored.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of white. He turned his head, and found himself staring at a white haired little girl, who was peeking at him from behind the door. Shocked, he fell out of his chair.

“Holy- Whoa, there, kid. You scared the daylights out of me. I wasn’t expecting to see you there,” He looked a little closer. She was very pale, and her eyes were an eerie shade of red, but, on her, it was rather charming. “Aren’t you a pretty thing? Are you the sister of the boy in red? If you are, he’s looking for you.” The girl’s eyes widened and she ran to the kitchen door.

“I’m in the kitchen, Kanny!” The boy, Kanny, came running in with a basket full of herbs, vegetables, and beef.

“Why didn’t you come when I knocked on the door, Karkat? I didn’t see you outside, so I was worried.” Kanny said, placing the basket on the table near Cronus. The girl, Karkat, looked down.

“Well, you had a stranger with you. You know I don’t like it when strangers come in. So…” She trailed off, and then looked up at her brother.

“Don’t tell me what to do, fuck-ass! So I wanted to evaluate the guy and make sure he had no bad intentions! You’re fucking welcome, dumbass! I’m going to my room.” With that, she pushed past Kanny and headed… downstairs?

“That’s where her room is. It’s cooler down there in the summer and warmer in the winter.”

Oh. That explains it. Kanny looked at Cronus with pleading eyes.

“Please forgive her. She’s put a rather large wall up, trying to hide their feelings from me. She never really goes out either, because of her appearance, unless it’s to go see her friend Kanaya in the next town. She never shows her real feelings, really. She misses our father too much… Never mind, I got what I need for both your wound, and supper. Now, allow me to get started, mister… Oh, how silly of me! We never introduced ourselves, did we? My name is Kankri Vantas. And you are?”

Man, does he talk a lot. But, to Cronus, it was kind of cute.

“I’m just Cronus, the travelling bard,” he said, gesturing to his large mandolin.

“Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Cronus. Now, let’s bandage you up. After that, I’ll cook supper. I do hope that you like stew!”


End file.
